Man charged in crash that killed 5 kids, 1 adult

Father faces DUI manslaughter charges

UPDATED 10:46 AM CST Jan 02, 2013

PHILADELPHIA, Miss. -

Neshoba County Sheriff Tommy Waddell said a man has been charged with six felony counts of DUI manslaughter after the weekend crash of a sport utility vehicle that killed his five children and one adult in the vehicle.

Waddell told The Associated Press by telephone that 34-year-old Duane John was charged after his release Monday from Neshoba County General Hospital.

He said John was being held at the county jail on a $150,000 bond and hadn't immediately retained a lawyer. John couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

Authorities said the SUV driven by the children's father careened off an eastern Missisippi road into a creek on Saturday near Philadelphia. Waddell says the crash was alcohol-related and the cause remains under investigation.

A funeral service for the five children was to be held Wednesday at the Pearl River Facility Building in Choctaw.

A funeral for 38-year-old Dianne Chickaway, the sixth victim of Saturday's deadly crash, is set for Thursday at Hopewell Baptist Church in Leake County.

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